Crystal River current., 1887-03-19
AN AWAKENING.

"Will you come down to our place
neyt Monday, Charlie, for couple of
days shootng?"
monday? Yes. Delighted, old
chap
Then the friends proceeded to settle
details They would meet at the sta
tion and go by the $50 train, which
would land them in comfortable time
for dinner.
Now, if Charles West had weak
ness, it was that he was prone to be a
little obi vious about time, and was in
the habit of running his engagements
rather fine. The Monday afternoon, to
beguile the time between luncheon and
the train, he called on a pretty woman
OF his acqaintance, and she was SO
amusing that he stopped until the last
moment and then jumped into a han
som. telling his jehu TO drive like the
devil. Unfortunately, his own watch
had stopped Che forgot to wind it up
the previous nighD, and how could he
know that his hostess clock was a
quarter of an hour slow?
When he arrived on the platform he
was met by his servant, who. with a
countenance inexpensive of emotion
pleasurable or otherwise, informed
him that the train had departed, bear
ing Captain Leslie with it. The Cap
tain had left word that he hoped Mr..
West would go by the next train, which
was not nntil $50, and reached D
at 10:15. He would drive the dogcart
over to meet hint was six miles from
the station.
Charlie swore exhaustively. He was
not ill-tempercd. but surely, if man
might be justified (Which l by no
means admit in induging in bad Ian
guage. here was case in point To
lind yourself in the east end of London,
with two hours and fifty minutes on
hand; to have forcgone n pleasant din
ner and evening; to have put your host
to great Inconvenience and probably to
have given II bad impression to his fam
lily before your arrival--all these things
are extremely veXing.
But, having a tolcrably happy dispo-
sition, Charlie. after his first outburst
of wrath and disgust. took it very well
He got into another hanson, returned
to his club at the West End, read the
papers, dned lightly and took excellent
care TO be in time for the $50.
1t was slow train; it stopped at
nearly every station, and arrived at
last, thirty-ive minutes late. His
friend. who had timo to recover his
first feeling of resentment at Charles
confounded inconsiderateness, met him
cordially. The dog-cart was capacious,
and they managed to cram in the SER
want and luggage and went off at
spanking pace to the court. The
hriu hn
'Jove!" uttered Charlie, drawing a
long breath. 'How good everything
smells, and what blessing it is to get
out of London"
They drove through long avenue of
trees and came to a big old-fashioned
red house with q great mere shining
like mirror in front of il.
Il expect said George Leslie, "that
we shall find everybody gone to bed
all my people are tremendously
early"
And SO it proved The friends re-
freshed themselves in the dining-room
tete-a-tcte, then returned to the smok-
ing-room. and the hour of had given
tongue from the stable clock before
fhey thought of turning in. Leslie
showed Charlie his room. spacious and
tapestTy-nuhS,a ana the young gentle
man. having drawn back the curtains
which the housemad, after the manner
OF her kind, had Theoretically closed,
and thrown one window wide open, re-
tired to bed, to sleep the sleep of the
just. He awoke en- sursaut by hearing
his name, Charlie! Charley! do wake
up 1t was pretty feminine voice,
and Charlie was not in the habit of be-
ing called jim this fashion.
He started and looked up. What he
saw was Il slim young lady, with a very
pretty figure. in blue cotton gown
F,and the back of q charming head with
goldda plaits. The fair one was look
ing out o. theEiadow and apostrophiz-
ing him at tEaatanle time.
''It is such glorious morning; aren't
you ashamed Of yourself, you great
idle creature, to be lying there missing
~ this lovely suashinsp Do sst pp aad